The Smurfs Come To Augmented Reality This FCBD

From Mad Cave & Papercutz

Coming for Free Comic Book Day in 2023, Mad Cave's imprint Papercutz has teamed up with The Smurfs to bring an augmented reality comic book.

I think this is a good idea, and remember playing around with AR and comics a while ago. It’s something different, and the Smurfs make a good subject for it.

65 years ago, legendary Smurfs creator Peyo drew the first Smurf. On Free Comic Book Day 2023 (May 6, 2023), the Smurfs jump off the pages with a brand new Augmented Reality comic from Papercutz. This new comic book includes three original Smurfs stories by Peyo himself that are being published in English for the first time. Among these classic pages, readers will be welcomed to enjoy a new dynamic reading experience with pages that activate through a virtual environment where people are increasingly spending more time.¹

Papercutz, which was acquired by Mad Cave Studios in 2022, is proud to present this augmented reality FCBD issue for fans to pick up at their local comic shops for free on May 6, 2023– where they’ll immediately be able to activate a digital Smurfette to pop up off the cover of the issue!

This Smurfs 65th anniversary special for Free Comic Book Day will showcase 65 years of evolution for the Smurfs franchise, and represent a major step for the brand. Combining the timelessness of the classic comic book experience with the exciting new frontier of the metaverse, this issue is an ode to the past and a vision for a smurftastic future. 

The three stories included in the book were created by Peyo himself. They include:

• "A Kiss for Smurfette" - Gargamel has hatched another dastardly plot to put an end to the Smurfs.  This time, he practices a dangerous potion on Smurfette, turning her into a frog.  Will Gargamel's plan work?  Or will the Smurfs find a way to stop him and return Smurfette to her natural form?  

• "The Smurf from Outer Space" - When Lazy Smurf gets lost at night, he meets a Venutian named Brtt.  After a brief conflict with Gargamel, Brtt's ship is destroyed! Can the Smurfs fix the ship of their new friend, or will Gargamel have the upper hand and finally get his revenge on his sworn enemies?

• "Smurfs and the Robot X-XIII" - Brtt returns with his fiancee, chased by a robot sent from Venus because their parents don't approve of the union.  The Smurfs try to help their friend, but Gargamel catches them!  Will Papa Smurf and the Smurfs be able to save their friend, or will Gargamel finally destroy the Smurfs once and for all?!

With the recent return of The Smurfs TV show on Nickelodeon for Season 2, and November 2022 release of The Smurfs Kart, a new video game for Nintendo Switch, the Smurf’s 65th year is gearing up to be a landmark year for the Smurfs, and Papercutz is pleased to join in with this landmark augmented reality FCBD release. 

1. About Peyo, LAFIG Belgium/IMPS (International Merchandising Promotions & Services) The Smurfs:

IMPS, together with LAFIG Belgium, are the official licensors of the little blue characters ‘The Smurfs.’ Over the years, IMPS has worked in close collaboration with its agents worldwide to develop successful licensed merchandising, retail and co-branded promotions, publishing activities, broadcasting deals, theme parks, live shows and family entertainment centers that have secured the everlasting success of the Smurfs.  IMPS is run by Véronique Culliford, the daughter of Pierre Culliford, the creator of the Smurfs, who is better known under his pseudonym Peyo. Véronique has run IMPS since 1984 and controls with LAFIG Belgium the rights to the Smurfs characters and the Smurfs licensing worldwide.

About Living Popups

Living Popups, co-founded by Cheryl Bayer and Jamie Dixon, is an augmented-reality platform and media company focused on interactive, purposeful, episodic storytelling and mindful insights. 

About Papercutz: 

Papercutz is dedicated to publishing great graphic novels for all  ages. Popular with reluctant readers and gifted readers alike, Papercutz graphic novels  for kids, tweens, and teens include a wide range of genres, including humor, action  adventure, mystery, horror, and favorite characters. We work every day to introduce  young readers to the imaginative wonders waiting to be discovered in comics. To find  out more visit

http://www.papercutz.com

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About Mad Cave Studios:

Driven by madness and committed to quality. Mad Cave Studios provides quality entertainment with a fresh take on an array of genres. From fantasy and action to sci-fi and horror, Mad Cave publishes stories that resonate with unapologetic and authentic audiences.